Twitter in the Dairy

 It is no secret here in Idaho that the growing use of the Internet and “social media” have dramatically changed the way many people communicate and get information.  The dairy checkoff launched a new program to help dairy producers understand and make use of social media to tell their story about dairy farming to the public. Now, through training funded by dairy checkoff, dairy producer Joe Gonzalez has developed his own blog and regularly uses twitter.

“I’m a 58-year-old dairyman, but I find it interesting because there’s a lot of consumers out there that are young and you know this is where they’re at.  A lot of them are getting their information from the Internet or from the Web, or from their friends on Twitter or Facebook. And I think this is an opportunity to discuss in more detail issues that are important to us and to the consumer.“

 Gonzalez gained skills through Mydairy.  David Pelzer of Dairy Management Inc, which manages the national dairy checkoff program, says Mydairy gives producers the necessary tools they need to help tell the positive story of modern dairy farming through social media.

  “There’s a lot of misinformation that’s flowing out there on the Internet about modern dairy farm practices.  So, it’s a great opportunity for dairy farmers to engage people directly on a one-on-one basis, but then also reach millions of people through their blogging and their Web site activities. “

 To learn more, visit www.dairycheckoff.com.